It is that time of year when we must watch our surrounding environment for quick changes. As we see the devastation in Grand Forks, Christina Lake and across the Boundary, we must remember to always be prepared.

This is not about fear, this is about being aware of the environment we live in. Many of our Kootenay homes are on flood plains or right below a dam. While the Kettle and Granby are not controlled, most of our lakes and rivers are. However, with the immense amount of snow melting, 180% above normal snow pack, freshet will likely cause some flooding this year.

We are also aware that Duncan Dam will exceed 500 CFS at the confluence over the weekend. BC Hydro staff are on the ground monitoring and working directly with residents who may be affected.

Sand and bags will be at the Lardeau Valley Hall and Kaslo Fire Hall. If you see flooding in areas and would like to protect your home, please go and fill your sand bags.
Other important tips;
– always have your emergency kit ready. I’ve now got mine as the camping box so it lives either in my truck or at the front door.
– if you live near creeks, pay attention to their behavior and should you notice changes such as muddy, debris, fast moving then slows right down, never hesitate to call the Provincial hotline, this will trigger an assessment and provide critical data if there is a safety concern.

North Kootenay Lake Community Services is inviting parents of children under 6 to express interest in attending a free first aid course. This would be a full day (could be a weekend) and offered through Selkirk college. There would be no childcare provided on site but babies who are not yet crawling could attend in their parent’s arms.

“Emergency Childcare First Aid” is a Red Cross certification.
Learn what to do when a child needs urgent medical attention. You’ll get an overview of first aid and CPR techniques in an interactive learning environment, while learning many skills needed to recognize and respond to a variety of medical emergencies for children and babies.

Please respond to this email if you are interested. We hope to offer this before summer break if there is enough interest!. barbcyr@nklcss.org